Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.560-0.600 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.570. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on WEN. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on Wendy’s from $11.00 to $9.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Wendy’s from $9.00 to $7.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Mizuho set a $6.00 price objective on Wendy’s in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Stifel Nicolaus set a $6.00 price objective on Wendy’s in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, TD Cowen lowered their price objective on Wendy’s from $9.00 to $6.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $8.46.

Wendy’s Stock Performance

WEN opened at $7.30 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $1.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.35. Wendy’s has a 52-week low of $6.37 and a 52-week high of $12.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 28.77, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a current ratio of 1.76. The business’s fifty day moving average is $7.05 and its 200-day moving average is $7.87.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last released its earnings results on Friday, May 8th. The restaurant operator reported $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.10 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $432.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $518.03 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 145.93% and a net margin of 7.58%.Wendy’s’s quarterly revenue was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.20 EPS. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Wendy’s will post 0.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wendy’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 1st. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio is 65.88%.

Wendy’s News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Wendy’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $0.12, topping expectations, and reaffirmed its FY 2026 guidance, which helped support the stock. The Wendy’s Company Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company also announced a franchise agreement to build up to 1,000 restaurants in China over the next decade, adding a potential long-term growth catalyst. Wendy’s plans to open 1,000 restaurants in China over the next decade
• Positive Sentiment: The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share, reinforcing the stock’s appeal for income-focused investors.
• Neutral Sentiment: Wendy’s revenue came in below Wall Street estimates, even though sales rose year over year, showing the turnaround is still incomplete. Wendy’s earnings report
• Neutral Sentiment: Management said it remains focused on improving performance, while investors continue to monitor inflation in beef and labor costs and the impact on margins. Wendy’s Gears Up for Q1 Earnings: What’s in the Offing for the Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Comp sales and global systemwide sales fell, which raises concerns that the recovery in Wendy’s core business is still shaky. Wendy’s: No Recovery In Sight As Comp Sales Fall
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Wendy’s may close hundreds of U.S. restaurants highlight the pressure it faces in a competitive fast-food market. Wendy’s to close 300 US restaurants as rivals gain ground

Institutional Trading of Wendy’s

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Gen Wealth Partners Inc acquired a new stake in Wendy’s in the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Align Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Wendy’s in the fourth quarter valued at about $52,000. Sargent Investment Group LLC acquired a new stake in Wendy’s in the fourth quarter valued at about $86,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC acquired a new stake in Wendy’s in the third quarter valued at about $95,000. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group boosted its stake in Wendy’s by 894.1% in the third quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 10,786 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $99,000 after buying an additional 9,701 shares in the last quarter. 85.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Wendy’s

The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) operates as a global quick-service restaurant chain, best known for its square-shaped beef patties, fresh ingredient sourcing and signature Frosty dessert. The company’s menu features a variety of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, breakfast sandwiches, sides and beverages, designed to appeal to a broad customer base seeking both classic and contemporary fast-food options. Wendy’s has placed particular emphasis on product innovation, introducing limited-time offerings and revamped core menu items to maintain customer interest and respond to evolving dining trends.

Founded in 1969 by entrepreneur Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy’s expanded rapidly through both company-owned and franchised outlets.